He knows the Oilers need a couple of impact players if they hope to rebound from last season's disaster. And he can't wait to see who they land.

"We have to add a star or two, there's no question," said the head coach, watching the first day of the Oilers development camp at Millennium Place. "Our mentality is much the same as it was post-lockout: we've got to add an element or two to our existing team, and then the sky's the limit."

With three picks in the first round of this year's entry draft, and more young bargaining chips than he knows what to do with, GM Kevin Lowe will be making at least one big trade on or before June 22.

"We're really going to look to get a player or two at the draft, through a trade."

The next step in the plan, landing a high-profile unrestricted free agent, might be a little tougher.

"It's just a case of whether we're going to be able to attract these players," said MacTavish. "We're going to give them lots of money to come here, and we'll try to sell the benefits of the team and the city and the organization, but at the end of the day it's going to be up to them."

The Oilers spread their coaches over the playoffs for a closer look at how some of the players they might be interested in handled themselves.

"It was good, you don't always get a chance as a coach to evaluate," said MacTavish.

"It afforded us the opportunity to get out there and really watch these guys hard. You don't want to make a mistake when you're trying to sign a pre-eminent player.